Variable-speed transmission.



1. REECE.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION. APPLICATIONFILED DEC. 1. 1913.

' 1., 181 ,1 65 Patented May 2, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

wi -rz/eaaea 1. REECE. v VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION.

7 APPLICATION FILED DEC. I. I913.

Patented May 2, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ZWQTOZ Jim Ru '1 f J. REECE.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1913.

Patented May 2, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

JOHN new. or MANCHESTER, mAssAoHusET'rs.

VARIABLESPEEZD TRANSMISSION.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed December 1, 1913. Serial No. 808,882.

zen of the United States, residing at Manchester, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VariableSpeed Transmission, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to variable speed transmission and more particularly to mechanism for transmitting rotary motion from a driving shaft to a driven shaft with variable speed ratio. The two shafts may, for example, be respectively connected .to the engine and to the wheels of a motor vehicle, the mechanism hereof permitting the speed of the vehicle to be controlled.

Generally the object hereof is to afford an improved and simplified variable speed transmission mechanism possessing good of ficiency of transmission, easily adjustable for varying speed ratio, capable of giving any desired speed ratio betweenthe higher and lower limits and free from the objections of heretofore known mechanisms.

To the attainment ofthese and other objects, the present improvement consists in the novel combinations, mechanisms, devices,

arrangements and details hereinafter referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

First will be described one-or more forms in which the present improvement may be embodied, and thereafter the novel features will be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a general view, which maybe considereda-front view of a variable speed transmission mechanism embodying the presentimprovements. Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section taken upon the plane 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar transverse section taken on the plane 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar transverse section corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing the parts adjusted for reversal of transmitted motion} Fig. 5 is. a transverse section on the plane 55 of'Fig. 1. In the above figures the adjustment for varying the speed of the driven shaft is effected by hand. The modification in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is for effecting the physical work of adjust ment by power, controlled by hand. Fig. 6 is, like Fig. 1, a front view, but showing only the particular-parts of the apparatus in,-

ber whereby one shaft rotates effect a portion of the shaft. Th

red in the same frame volved in the modified means of adjustment. Fig. 7 1s a transverse cross-section on plane 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 shows the construction of the forward and reverse adjusting levers detached from the other-parts and viewed from the top of Fig. 6.

The same reference numerals deslgnate corresponding parts in'the several figures of the drawings. 7 l

The combination illustrated in the drawings includes besides the continuously rotatable driving and driven shafts, a circularly moving. device or rotary crank actuated by, or carried on the driving shaft, a rotary .member or drum on the driven shaft, and connections from such device to'such memthe other, together with means for varying the action so as to alter the speed ratio of the 'shafts. The rotary member on the driven shaft is in the nature of a drum with which cooperates a-n' intermittently acting or reciprocating gripper, the gripper being operated from the driving shaft for causing the drum and driven shaft to rotate. The device or crank which is actuated or carried by the driving shaft and has connections for reciprocating the gripper, is shown constructed to be radially enlargeable and diminishable by adjustment for varying its circumferential motion or speed, so that by controlling the effective length .of radius of said device, the speed ratio of the two shafts is governed. The. rotary drum by being fixed with the driven shaft, constitutes in e pp constitutes a movable part which positively engages and disengages the rotary drum. The gripper does not travel around and around with thedriven shaft,.but reciprocates at one-side of the shaft, preferably in a concentric arc. Its intermittent engagement with the drum or other portion of the driven shaft is of a positive character. that is positive in action as a pawl engaging a ratchet in contradistinction to a mere frictional engagement. When the gripper is driving, the drum. the gripper and the gripper carrying arm are all substantially locked together,

Referring specifically to the drawings, it is seen that the driving shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 are for convenience mount- 13 which possesses bearings 14, 14, 14, 14, for the ends of the two shafts. The drivingshaft also has suprrnn snares Persian-cramp. r.

port from circular bearings 15, at intermediate points.

It being desired to employa plurality of drums and grippers which may act successively, it is-convenient to have a plurality of cranks on the driving shaft, thus dividing the shaft into end sections 17, 17, and a central section 18.

One form of radially enlargeable and diminishable rotary device is a crank with adjustable arms, and such a crank is generally indicated at 19, the driving shaft being provided with two of them between which is the central section 18 of the shaft. The crank pin is intended to be adjustable for varying the throw of the cran while the shaft is in rotation. This, result may be effected by the following construction: Each crank arm may be jointed consisting of an arm portion 20 rigid with the end section 17 of the driving shaft and an arm portion 21 adjustable by swinging with relation to portion 20. The opposite crank arm comprises the arm portion 22 which is in the shape ofa circular disk, so as to engage the circular bearing 15 for giving the driving shaft additional support, and swingingly connected with the arm portion 22 the adjustable arm portion'23. The crank pin 24 extends between the arm portions 21 and 23 at theirextremities. Adjustment of'crank throw is attained by swinging the jointed arm portions 21, 23, which moves the crank pin 24. more or less out of alinement with the driving shaft. The circular disk 22 referred to has a flange 25 bearing against the side of the circular bearing 15 and a weight 26 for counterbalancing the parts next to be referred to. i

. The relative swinging of the jointed ortions of the crank arm is preferably e ect-- ed by a contrivance comprising an ext'ension 30 ofthe stud connecting the portion 23 with the disk 22, this "extension having screw threads at 31 with an extremely. high pitch, and being engaged byaa screw thread-' ed collar 32 WhlCh may be longitudinally adjusted to cause rotation of the stud'30, and thereby a relative swinging of the arm 23 for altering the throw of the crank. This adjustment is preferably eflected by the followin parts rotating with the drivin shaft. The central shaft section 18 whic is shown s uared, is engagedby a square apbrtured s eeve 33 carrying the threaded collar 32. This sleeve has a circular enlargement at 34 from which extends outwa'rdly one or two flanges35. By pressing the flanges longitudinally of the shaft, the desired adjustments are effected. The righthand .end of sleeve 33 carries parts 30, 31,

32, corresponding to 30, 31 and 32, but arranged preferably at I 90 degrees. thereto. The following non-rotating parts may conveniently be used for the purpose. ngaging the flanges 35 is shown a yoke 36 carried upon an arm 37, which is secured to.a

sliding rod 38""movable longitudinally in bearings 39 formed for convenience at the periphery of the circular bearing 15. i A right-handed extension of, the rod 38 is connected to ahandle 40 .by which at will or automatically the described adjustments 'may be made, andthes eed ratio of the two "shafts. thereby -a ltere Referring now to the driven shaft, it is shown as having fixed to it so as to constitute substantially portions of the driven shaft, *one. or more drums '50, 51, 52, 53.

These may be for convenience grouped in pairs, the pair 50, 51, driven from the'crank at the left endof the driving shaft, andthe otherpair from the other crank. The two cranks are shown as set at ninety degrees gages and disengages the drum,'applying effort to it on each forward stroke; The description will be confined to the details for the pair of drums at the left, and those at the right may be. similar. Thedifierent grippers are not supposed to operate simultaneously, but in successive order.

The gr1pper'54 which operates upon the drum 50 in forwardly driving the shaft 12, is shown as a sector-shaped iece capable of moving to and fro at one si e of the driven shaft in proximity to interior surface of the drum 50. There is shown a similar part or gripper 55 in connection with the drum 51. These gripper parts are to be reciprocated by connections from the driving shaft, and for this purpose connecting rods 56 andv 57 are shown for the grippers 54' and 55 respectively. Each gripper .is to be guided concentrically in its to and fro move-- ments, and forthat purpose guiding arms or-- spokes 58, 59, may be employed, having hubs loosely mounted on the driven shaft.

Each'gripper is pivotally mounted on its guiding arm. r

The action of each grippermay be substantially as follows: Taking for example the gripper 55 pivoted on the guide arm 59 and actuated by the connecting rod 57, it willbe seen that the rotation of the driving shaft in the direction of the arrow causes the up and down reciprocation of the arm 59 and the gripper. As the pushed upwardly. The curvedsurface of arts are shown 7 in Fig. 2, the parts 55, 5 59 are being the gripper restingfin contact with-the intcrior surface of thesidrum, and the guide arm being mounteduponlthe shaft 12 which carries the drum, the upward fpushingof t e parts causes a toggle action which 'se-rves first to grip or positively:engage'the gripper with the drum, and thereupon to move them gripping, and there is no slippage. If the driven shaft should already be in a state.

of rotation and the speed ratiodecreased, the grippers will be entirely inoperative, but when energy is being transmitted and the driven shaft isbeing speeded up or kept up to a designated speed, the grippers will effectively operate upon the drum to communicate driving action to the .dliven shaft on each upward advance stroke of the gripper. ()n the return or down stroke of the gripper 55 manifestly the character of the connections is such that the gripperpractically disengages the drum and becomes inoperative. In order to render the grippers 5i and alternate in each action. the connecting rods are connected at diametrically opposite points of the guide arms asshown, so that gripper 54 is rising and operating. when gripper is descending and vice versa. As will later be described. means are provided for throwing the two grippers 54, entirely out of action.

When it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation of the driven shaft without reversing the driving shaft, the forward 1 grippers 54, are thrown out of action, and in their place reversed grippers (31, 62, are forced into action. The reverse gripper 61 is carried upon an extension 3 of the guide arm and incidentally the connecting rod 56 causes the reciprocation of the guide arm by connection with the extension (53 as shown. The reverse gripper 62 is likewise connected upon an extension 64: of the guide arm 59. hen the reverse grippers are in operation the drums 50, 51. and therefore the driven shaftare rotated in the opposite direction. A convenient means for throwing the forward or reverse grippers into or out of action is a controller one of which may be provided for each drum. This'controllcr consists of an annular casting having a circular groove 71 and all of the controllers are supported from an adjustable rod 72 so as to stand adjacent to the respective drums. Referring to Fig. 2 the controller is shown adjusted into its. right-hand position for forward driving. In this position it holds the reverse grippers inoperative. The controller may be shifted to neutral position, concentric with the drum, in which case "none of the grippers willoperate and the driven shaftii's' o'ut ofgear with the driving shaft. The rod- 72 may be adjusted by any simplemeans such as a handle 73 for shiftingit, and a locking device Tet for holding it in one or the. other of its three positions. The controller operates upon the grippers through pins 7 5 extending from the grippers into the groove '71 of the controller. When the outer groove surface pressesupon the pins as shown at the left side of Fig. 2, the grippers are held inoperative. On the other hand. the grippers at the right are operative, because there is no contact between the groove surface and the pins. Fig. 2 shows the forward grippers operative and the reverse grippers inoperative. By now swinging the controller completely to the left, the forward grippers will be rendered inoperative as seen in Fig. 4, while the re verse grippers will be rendered operative. In Fig. 4. therefore, the drum and driven shaft will rotate in the direction of the arrow and contrary to the rotation indicated in Fig. 2. middle or concentric position it neutralizes the action of all of the grippers. thereby operatively disconnecting the shafts.

In case it is desired to reduce the manual effort in shifting the sleeve 33 for adjusting the throw of the cranks upon the driving shaft. the sleeve acting expedient shown in Figs. 6 to 8 may be employed. As there shown, the sleeve is provided with right and left hand screw thread portions and S1, engaged respectively by the devices 82 and 83, either of which may be engaged with the screw threaded portion adjacent to. it,

.so that the rotation of the driving shaft will cause the sleeve to travel to right or left.

Each of the sleeve shifting devices 82 and I 83 consists of a movable head or socket 84 having interior screw threads corresponding with the threads 80 or 81, and an extension or handle 85 acted upon by a spring 86, andall mounted upon three supporting brackets 87. The arrangement is such that the spring normally holds the sleeve shifting devices inoperative, and permits either handle 85 to be depressed for rendering the device operative, so as to shift the sleeve to right or left thereby adjusting the throw of the cranks. When in depressed or inoperative position, the shifting devices 82, 83, descend into slotted brackets 98 which have ul'istanding arms securely holding the devices against longitudinal movement.

A safety device comprises the small beveled lug 89 upon each of the shifting devices S2, 83, arranged to be engaged by a beveled flange or collar 90 upon the sleeve If the'controller is brought to gaging it from the screw threads of the sleeve. Figs. 2 and 3 show the parts in corresponding position. In this position a gripper is driving drum 51 while the others are idle. A quarter revolution advance will bring 52 into driving action, 51 becoming idle. At the succeeding quarter 50 becomes active, and finally-53 at the fourth quarter.

It is to be understood that in describing the driving and driven shafts as continuously rotatable. it is intended to distinguish from shafts which advance intermittently, alternately moving and stopping. The driving shaft might sometimes, in the present invention, rotate without motion of the driven shaft. and likewise the driven shaft might continue in motion after the driving shaft is stopped.

It will thus be seen that there has been described a 'ariable speed a transmission mechanism embodying the principles and attaining the objects and advantages hereinbefore referred to, and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Since many matters of design, arrangement, combination, detail and other features may be varied, without departing from the principles hereof, no limitation to such features is intended, excepting as set forth in the appended claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a variable speed t'ansmission a driving shaft having a crank radially enlargeable and diminishable by adjustment. said crank comprising a crank pin. together with one or more adjustable crank arms between the pin and shaft, and means operable during rotation of said shaft for effecting adjustment of the crank arms for arying the throw of the crank, said adj usting means comprising a sleeve rotatable with and movable longitudinally of the driving shaft, a non-rotatable device engaging said sleeve for shifting said sleeve, and connections between said sleeve and crank arm.

2. In a variable speed transmission a driving shaft having a crank radially enlargcable and diminishable by adjustment, said crank comprising a crank pin, together with one or more adjustable jointed crank arms between the pin and shaft, and means operable during rotation of said shaft for effecting adjustment of the crank arms by swinging one portion of the jointed crank arm relatively to the other for varying the throw of the crank, said adjusting means comprising a part rotatable with the driving shaft, a non-rotatable device engageable with said part for automatically shifting it and disengageable therefrom, and connections whereby the shifting of said part effects relative swinging of the crank arm parts.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN REECE.

\Vitnesses Doxivnn CAMPBELL. E. I BERXIIARDT. 

